Local Perceptions of Ecosystem Services Provided by Forest and Mangrove Ecosystems in the Saloum Delta National Park, Senegal

Abstract

This paper focused on the perceptions of communities living along the Saloum Delta National Park (SDNP), located in the Saloum Delta Biosphere Reserve (SDBR), of the ecosystem services (ES) provided by the mangrove and forest ecosystems. Through semi-structured surveys of 103 individuals in seven villages, the analysis revealed that the SDNP offers a diversity of 21 ecosystem services classified into three categories: provisioning, regulation and cultural. The most popular ones are fishing (72.8%), oyster harvesting (65.1%), pharmacopoeia (64.1%), firewood (54.4%), aesthetics (90.3%) and protection against erosion (93.2%). The species Rhizophora mangle stands out as the best known and most widely used mangrove, with a high use value (UV= 3.09) and a strong informant consensus (FCI> 0.97). Although socio-demographic factors do not significantly influence the use of services, occupation (particularly farmers) and area play a role in the diversity of uses. The services provided by mangroves are more numerous and better known than those provided by forests, reflecting the ongoing dependence of populations on this ecosystem. These results underline the strategic importance of the PNDS in local development and point out for sustainable and participatory management of its resources, through development of fishery products, strengthening of facilities, raising awareness of rational exploitation and the restoration of degraded habitats, particularly mangroves.